4 Questions to answer
when selecting
an E-commerce platform

With the availability of a thousand and one e-commerce platforms, getting a suitable platform forbuilding your e-commerce website is easy. Regardless of your business size or type hosting your online store on a perfect platform is one step to success. As you know, a platform is like your business space. It determines how your store will look like and the products you will host. Also, it is the foundation of the costs you will spend in generating revenues. Hence, it is essential to be well informed when selecting a platform to avoid repeating the process later which is not only a bad experience but also a costly affair. Here are the four questions you need to answer when selecting an e-commerce platform:

a. What products will you be offering in your e-commerce store

Knowing the products, you are seeking to offer in your online store is the fundamental step in selecting a platform for your e-commerce website. Due to advanced customization and personalization, developers have come up with platforms that fit each business. For instance, if you are selling electronics, you need to select a platform that is designed for electronics.

If you want to offer cosmetics, your first choice should be a platform that supports cosmetic themes. Essentially, some plugins target specific business. Hence, you need to select an e-commerce platform that conforms to the customization aspects made for your target business.

b. How much money are you going to spend?

Cost efficiency is a significant point of concern for any entrepreneur. When it comes to selecting a platform, you need to be conscious of the cost involved. If you have a fixed budget, you need to eliminate those categories beyond your budget. For instance, if you cannot afford monthly fees, your choice should be confined within the e-commerce theme without any monthly subscriptions.

Furthermore, while some platforms are available for free, you need to pay installation costs to use them. Also, others require additional plugins and add-ons which may cost you extra coins. In this essence, when selecting a platform for your e-commerce website, you need to ensure that it lies within your budgetary limits and fits well with your prospective business.

c. How many product varieties will you be selling?

Different platforms are designed for various purposes. An e-commerce platform for a single product business is entirely different from one with multiple items. When deciding on the platform to host your e-commerce site, the number of the items you will be offering is the key. For instance, if you will be selling cosmetics and cloth lines, your platform of choice must give you a room for customizing both product pages.

It can be so disappointing if your platform is designed for cosmetic business alone and you try to double them with a fashion line. Also, you need to know whether you will be selling small products or large ones. With this information, you will be able to make decisions on the kind of features and add-ons you need and avoid spending more for unimportant elements.

d. Are there themes available in that platform?

Of course, you know themes are a crucial part of your e-commerce website. They determine how your site will appear. Whether it will be appealing to the clients or it will be sending them away. In this essence, it is essential to consider the availability of themes and templates before making a final decision on the platform to use. Also, you must check whether the available themes are available for free or paid ones.

In a word, answering these questions will provide you with information necessary for making crucial decisions when choosing an e-commerce platform.

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